The number of women dying during pregnancy or shortly after childbirth in the UK is increasing, despite a decline in birth rates, according to new official figures.
Data compiled by the House of Commons Library shows that maternal deaths rose from 209 between 2015 and 2017 to 254 between 2021 and 2023.
A maternal death is classified as one that occurs while a woman is pregnant or within 42 days after the end of the pregnancy, whether through childbirth, miscarriage, or stillbirth.
The statistics, drawn from MBRRACE-UK reports, highlight growing concerns over the state of NHS maternity care across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
The rising death toll comes despite fewer births across the country. The maternal mortality rate increased from 9.16 deaths per 100,000 maternities in 2015-17 to 12.67 per 100,000 in 2021-23. While this shows a slight decrease from the peak of 13.56 per 100,000 recorded in 2020-22, the recent figures remain among the highest seen in nearly a decade.
The Commons Library analysis is based on data from MBRRACE-UK, a national programme led by the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit at the University of Oxford, which assesses maternal care and outcomes across the UK. The findings have prompted renewed concern from campaigners and MPs about the persistent failures in maternity services.
In response to growing criticism, Health Secretary Wes Streeting recently announced the launch of a rapid national investigation into maternity and neonatal services in England. The inquiry will examine areas with particularly troubling care standards, such as Leeds and Sussex, and will involve families affected by preventable maternal and neonatal harm.
The Department of Health and Social Care has backed the investigation, aiming to identify systemic failures and accelerate improvements. Streeting has also established a maternity taskforce to oversee the process and ensure accountability.
The inquiry follows a series of high-profile maternity care scandals, including those at Morecambe Bay, East Kent, Shrewsbury and Telford, and the ongoing investigation in Nottingham. Previous government strategies, published in 2016 and 2023, have promised to improve care, but progress has been slow.
The Commons Library report also found that implementation of NHS England’s 2023 delivery plan for maternity and neonatal services is faltering. Of the 31 targeted areas for improvement, 11 have regressed. These include responses to women’s concerns during labour, the provision of compassionate care, and clear postnatal explanations.
Data from MBRRACE-UK has consistently shown that maternal health outcomes are also influenced by age and ethnicity. Women aged 35 and over are three times more likely to die in pregnancy than those aged 20-24, while Black women face more than double the risk of white women.
Despite rising deaths and longstanding concerns, the Department of Health has not directly addressed the increase. Instead, it has pointed to the planned investigation and renewed efforts to improve the quality and safety of maternity care.
